DNA Results Cannot Deny One’s Lineage

Fatwa No: 382342

Question

Salam alaykum warahmatullah wa barakatuh.I converted to islam 6 years ago, Alhamdulillah. I'm born and raised in scandinavia, and noe raising ny own childeren here. Not long ago I took an anonymus DNA test of myself and my father and sent it to a reliable company to check fatherhood. It came back negative, meaning he is not my biological father. I feel sad about this and don't know what to do about this information. I doubt he knows. And I'm afraid it could really damage both my parents life if this comes out, as I'm their only child. I'm therefore thinking about not letting anybody know, am I allowed to do this, islamically? The reason I took the test in the first place was because i've got a lot of comments growing up that I don't look like my father at all, and I just wanted to get it confirmed. However, now i wish i never did. I have my mothers surname (not unusual where i live), should i keep it as im a result of zina, or should I take who i've always thought to be my fathers name, even though he's not my biological one?May Allah swt reward you! Amiin

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

First of all, praise be to Allah who guided you to Islam and we ask Him to grant you success and to expand your chest and open your heart to Islam.

You should know that you were wrong in carrying out the DNA test in order to verify whether or not you trace back to your father. Not looking like your father is not a justification to challenge that you are his descendant.

Abu Hurayrah narrated that a man from the tribe of Fazaarah came to the Prophet and said: “My wife has given birth to a black boy.” The Messenger of Allah said: “Do you have camels?” He said: “Yes.” He said: “What color are they?” He said: “Red.” He said: “Are there any gray ones among them?” He said: “There are some gray ones among them.” He said: “Where do you think they come from?” He said: “Perhaps it is hereditary.” He said: “Likewise, perhaps this (i.e. the color of his child) is hereditary.” [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

In principle, the child is traced back to the owner of the bed (i.e., the husband) and it is not correct to rely on DNA test in denying lineage to the father. The only Islamic way in denying this child's lineage is by Li’aan (refer to Fatwa 193277).

The decision of the Islamic Fiqh Council at its sixteenth session on the genetic code reads: “It is not permissible in Islam to rely on DNA code in the denial of descent, and it is not permissible to put it in priority over Li’aan.”

Therefore, you should not tell anyone about the result of this DNA test and the principle rule remains in that you are traced back to your father.